River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-09-15
Interesting Romance.


..Do YOU see that lady looking into
a shop window, inst across the street?'
said Lisbon Street merchant to the
Lewiston, Me-, Journal scribe, Satur.
day. The scribe looked in the direc.
ton referred TO, and saw a well-dressed
lady of rather distinguished appearance
of perhaps As. admirirg one of the
show-windows in dry goods store.
THE history of that woman's life is
stranger than fiction" said the mer-
chant. ..She lives in Portland. When
a young girl she fell desperately in
love with poor fellow, who returned
her affections, but didn't have money
enough to pay the parson for marrying
them. After a deal of consideration by
both of them, it was decided that he
should start for China, to seek his for
tune. and that she should remain be-
| hind and wait for his return. She made
a vow that she would not marry for
three years, and if. at the expiration OF
that time he had not returned, she would
be at perfect liberty to act ut her
own pleasure about matrimony,
accordingly, the lover boarded the
first ship he could find that was bound
for that port, and the lovers parted.
Six months passed and the girl heard
not word from her lover. A year
went by, and no letter The girl grew
almost distracted, for she came to the
conclusion that he had either gone back
on her or was dead. A second year
went by and nothing was heard from
him. AT this time another gentleman
began paying his attentions to the lady
and finally asked her hand in marriage.
The girl thought of her vow and said
no not until the three years is past.
The second man urged her with all his
power to marry him. He offered her
wealth, and every luxury that money
could buy; but she was true to her vow
and said that she would not marry
until the expiration of the three years.
Long before this she had supposed
her lover dead.
1.-The end of the third year was draw
ing to close, and she had promised
the ardent sutton, who had been paying
her every honor in his power, for a year
and a half, that when the time was up,
she would marry him on the following
day, if her former lover did not re-
turn. The day came, and the man
didn't return from China. On that
very day the wedding bells were rung,
and they were united in marriage.
Hardly had the marriage ceremony been
performed, when a ship came into the
bay from China, and on board was her
lover, who had left her three years ago
to gain a fortune for them both-re-
turned. Imagine if you can her grief,
when she saw him. He came back,
abundantly rich, to claim her as his
bride, and she had three days before
married another. The blow nearly
crushed them both. But six years wore
away, and in the meantime the man
married and went out West to live. In
few years his wife died. He had not
heard one word from his old love for
many years, and one dav, merely from
curiosity, he addressed letter to her
brother, inquiring if she was alive, and
if so where she resided He received a
letter shortly after that she had been a
widow for several years, and was living
near Portland. The gentleman left
for Portland on the next train, and in
less than weeks time they were mar
ried, and to day they are living hap
PLY together in the suburbs of Port
land.